Step into a
career that
conserves the wild

Bushwise
Practical Conservation Management Course - 6/12 months

The most practical way to launch your conservation career: live and learn at a research station in a Big 5 game reserve. Gain research, monitoring, and field operations skills – and if you opt for the 12-month course, you’ll do a 6-month work placement.

DURATIONS: 6 or 12 MONTHS

NEXT START DATE: 6 JUNE 2026

FORMAT: ON-CAMPUS

ACCREDITATION: BUSHWISE

AGE: 18+

Course details

Walk a wilder path

Do you have a passion to protect wildlife and want to make it your career? Our Practical Conservation Course is the ultimate way to build real field experience and a thriving career.

This course is perfect for you if you:

Want to start a conservation career (even without prior academic experience or certifications).
Just finished school or university and are looking for a meaningful gap year to build experience, confidence, and skills.
Already hold a conservation or related degree and want real, practical field experience to break into the industry.

Learn by doing real conservation work

Over six months, you’ll gain hands-on experience through fieldwork, training, and guided learning. Each module connects theory directly to practical work in the field.

You’ll get the opportunity to participate in wildlife monitoring, track animals such as cheetahs and rhinos, collect field data, and help with conservation work in the reserve. You’ll also learn how ecosystems work and start to understand animal behaviour through direct experience.

To support your professional and personal development, you’ll also participate in one-on-one and group mentoring sessions presented by one of our expert field teams.

Real work experience:12-month course

If you choose the 12-month course option, you’ll get the chance to do a 6-month work placement directly after the 6-month course is completed. Your placement will be with a conservation organisation in South Africa or in other countries such as Costa Rica, Madagascar, or Seychelles.

During your placement, you will use what you have learned in a real working environment and gain further experience in conservation projects. This also helps you build your CV, meet professionals in the field, and grow your network.

For those who meet the eligibility criteria, we also offer:

An employment guarantee within 12 months of completing your course.
Access to our dedicated career support team, who’ll help you polish your CV, prepare for interviews, and connect with trusted employers around the world.

Learn more on the Placements tab.

Course overview

Step into hands-on conservation in a working wildlife reserve in South Africa. Your training is built around 12 Conservation Research Modules (CRMs), with a new module every two weeks, each focusing on a different area of conservation and including fieldwork, a practical project, and an assessment. This keeps your learning practical and closely connected to real conservation work.

Alongside the CRMs, you will also join the Karongwe conservation management team in the field, contributing to biodiversity surveys and other ongoing conservation initiatives. This is where you apply your skills in real time, whether that means observing herd behaviour, tracking wildlife, setting up camera traps, or collecting field data that supports active management decisions.

Beyond the core modules, you’ll also complete Professional Field Operations Training. These sessions focus on essential field skills such as project management, safety, teamwork, and working effectively in conservation environments.

Together, the CRMs, fieldwork experience, and professional field operations training create a fully immersive learning experience that builds both practical skills and real-world conservation understanding.

Why study with Bushwise?

Driven by conservation: Bushwise was founded by a passionate conservationist to meet the need for professionals who protect natural environments ethically. Since 2006, we’ve been training graduates to excel in diverse conservation roles. With a curriculum covering topics such as conservation and African wildlife, you’ll graduate equipped to pursue a career in wildlife conservation management.

An industry-first employment guarantee*

Bushwise offers the only employment guarantee in the industry. We’re confident in the quality of our training, so much so that we guarantee eligible South African graduates of our 12-month course will receive a job offer within twelve months of qualifying. Learn more about our guarantees here.

*Available to eligible students only. Terms and conditions apply.

Award-winning trainers

The Bushwise team includes award-winning guides such as Nico Brits, a category winner at the Safari Guide of the Year competition in 2022. Our trainers are experts dedicated to continually expanding their knowledge and skills. Together, they bring over 150 years of combined experience across specialities like wildlife behaviour, conservation, rifle handling, botany, and more, making us a specialised and committed team.

No. 1 rated on TrustPilot

We’re proud to be the top-rated wildlife careers training provider on TrustPilot, with consistently high ratings across other review platforms like Google, Facebook, GoAbroad, and GoOverseas. Our graduates leave well-prepared, professional, and confident, and their reviews speak volumes about the quality of our training and support.

Guaranteed work placements*

For our 12-month course students: after completing six months of training, you’ll embark on a six-month work placement at a real lodge, reserve, or conservation organisation. This invaluable experience boosts your CV, helps you build a professional network, and gets your foot in the door. Placements include luxury lodges across Southern Africa, as well as international opportunities in destinations such as Kekoldi, Costa Rica, or Chiang Mai, Thailand. Learn more about our guarantees here.

Industry’s only 360° recruitment division

Bushwise has a built-in 360° recruitment division designed to support professionals across the wildlife industry. With our large network of partners across Southern Africa and beyond, we make it even easier for qualified professionals to find the right job.

Whether it’s permanent placements, short-term contracts, or seasonal roles, our recruitment team works with graduates and experienced professionals alike. We also offer free one-on-one career advice to help you navigate your next step. From job matching and personalised support to assisting organisations in building strong teams, our recruitment division connects the best people with the best opportunities – all under one roof.

6 campuses across Big 5 wilderness areas

Bushwise operates from 6 different campuses in South Africa, more than any other training provider in Southern Africa.

One of our key locations is within the Sabi Sands Game Reserve,in the Greater Kruger National Park. Here, students learn in an environment known for its rich biodiversity, strong conservation history, and some of the highest leopard densities on the continent.

Global opportunities

Bushwise opens doors to unique work placements in remote and exciting destinations like Costa Rica, Thailand, Madagascar, and more. Many of our students have leveraged their training to build careers around the world, with graduates working in places like Patagonia, the USA, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, and beyond.

What’s a typical day?

Days usually start around 5:00–5:30 am, with a mix of classroom sessions and practical activities.

Life on this Bushwise course

Life with Bushwise gives you a real taste of what working in conservation is like. Expect early mornings (yes, really early!), long, rewarding days in the bush, meals around the campfire, camp duties, leadership responsibilities, and plenty of learning along the way.

Each day blends learning, hands-on experience, and downtime, giving you a real taste of life in conservation.

A typical day might look like this (with slight tweaks depending on the season and weather):

5-5:30am

Wake up, grab a coffee or tea, and have a light breakfast.

6-10am

Depending on your module, you could be out using radio telemetry to find cheetahs, monitoring bird nesting sites, or checking fence lines for wildlife conflict points.

11am

Brunch at camp – hearty meals to keep you going.

Midday

Downtime for relaxing, studying, or short practical sessions.

3pm

Afternoon activities continue, from practical exercises, workshops, or a lecture, depending on which module of the course you are in.

6pm

Evening meal, either in the dining area or around a campfire.

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Dates & fees

Program fees (incl VAT)

2026 & 2027

6 months £14,945

12 months* £25,435

Discounts are valid until the end of this month and are subject to availability. Only one discount per person may be applied, and it cannot be combined with any other offer, promotion, or grant. All bookings are subject to confirmation by Bushwise. Bushwise reserves the right to amend course fees or dates at any time. By accepting a discount, you agree to pay the remaining course fees according to the payment schedule provided. 12-month course fees may vary depending on optional modules or add-ons.

Fund your Bushwise course!

Discounts of up to £2,200
Grants & scholarships of up to £4,500
Student loans available

Start dates

2026

6 / 12 months

6 & 20 June
4 & 18 July
1, 15 & 29 August
12 & 26 September
10 & 24 October
7 & 21 November
5 & 19 December

2027

6 / 12 months

9 & 23 January
6 & 20 February
6 & 20 March
3 & 17 April
1, 15 & 29 May
12 & 26 June
10 & 24 July
7 & 21 August
4 & 18 September
2, 16 & 30 October
13 & 27 November
11 December

Payment plans

Plan 1

Payment in full

Plan 2

A deposit secures your booking
First installment due 20 weeks before the course start date
Final installment due 12 weeks before the course start date

Plan 3

Custom deposit to secure your booking
The balance is split into six installments leading up to the course start date

To add to your qualifications and skills, Bushwise Field Guides includes extra modules and brings in external professionals to help with specialist skills. As a result, Bushwise is not able to offer full grants to our courses. Bushwise is recognised by most major South African banks including FNB and Standard Bank. South African citizens can apply in-branch for student loans to assist with payment of course fees.

Curriculum

Every two weeks, you move onto a new module that combines fieldwork, a practical project, and an assessment, so you are learning by doing from the start.

Alongside the 12 core modules, you’ll complete Professional Field Operations Training. One training module runs every two weeks with your core CRM, giving you practical skills in safety, project planning, teamwork, and working in real conservation settings.

Much of your learning happens out in the reserve with the Karongwe team. You join biodiversity surveys and other ongoing conservation work, getting involved in tasks like tracking animals, observing wildlife behaviour, setting up camera traps, and collecting data that helps guide real management decisions.

Your learning moves between classroom sessions, group work, and field practicals, but the focus always stays on real-world application.

You’ll be studying from Monday to Friday, with Saturdays and Sundays off to rest, study, or explore the surrounding area.

Modules and activities

Take a look at the 12 Conservation Research Modules you’ll be completing below. You can also find more information about the projects, assessments, and professional field training that happen at the same time.

Area-based conservation (ABC) Management

Get a behind-the-scenes look at how a reserve really runs, from walking fence lines and checking for gaps to mapping routes and managing how wildlife and tourism share a space. It’s where the bigger picture starts to make sense, seeing how decisions on the ground shape the entire landscape.

Ecological restoration and species recovery

Spend time helping the land recover by clearing invasive plants, managing erosion, and tracking key species like elephants and rhinos. It’s a hands-on way to see how ecosystems rebuild over time, and how small, consistent actions contribute to something much bigger.

Species conservation

Follow the movement of predators using radio telemetry, learn to identify individual animals by their markings, and start reading tracks and signs left overnight. The bush begins to feel more detailed and alive as patterns start to reveal themselves.

Human–wildlife conflict and coexistence

Work on one of conservation’s most complex challenges by monitoring predator activity near boundaries and spotting early signs of conflict. It’s about understanding both sides of the story and being part of practical, on-the-ground solutions.

Pollution, debris and waste management

Head out on snare sweeps to help protect wildlife, while also looking at how waste and pollution impact the environment in less obvious ways. This is a closer look at the quieter threats that still have a big effect on the ecosystem.

Biodiversity and habitat monitoring

Set up camera traps, take part in early morning bird counts, and explore how different species use the same space. Over time, a clearer picture forms of how everything connects and what a healthy ecosystem really looks like.

Stakeholder engagement and community conservation

Spend time working with local communities, sharing knowledge through environmental education and learning from people who live alongside wildlife every day. This module adds a completely different layer to conservation, one that goes beyond the reserve itself.

Climate change mitigation and adaptation

Track weather patterns and watch how animals and habitats respond to changing conditions for a practical, on-the-ground look at climate change.

Technology for wildlife

Use radio antennas and GPS units, troubleshoot camera trap hardware, and learn how to maintain professional field gear to build confidence with the equipment that supports modern conservation work, even in tough conditions.

Wildlife behaviour and activity monitoring

Observe how animals move, hunt, rest, and interact, both in real time and through camera trap footage. Animal behaviour starts to make sense, especially when you begin to notice patterns you wouldn’t have seen before.

Nature education and conservation communication

Turn what’s happening in the field into stories that people can understand and connect with. Whether it’s creating content or leading walks, it’s about making conservation more accessible and engaging.

Conservation impact evaluation

Step back and look at the bigger picture of what conservation is actually achieving. Work with data to track population trends, review operational results like snare removals, and assess how different interventions are influencing wildlife and habitats over time. This is where fieldwork turns into measurable outcomes, helping connect everyday activities to long-term conservation goals and showing what real impact looks like on the ground.

Additional activities

Beyond the core modules, your training also includes a range of practical, real-world activities that run alongside your fieldwork, such as field data collection, survey work, wildlife monitoring, and supporting day-to-day reserve operations. You’ll also take part in mentorship (both group and one-on-one) and leadership development throughout the course.

Projects and assessments

Each module includes its own project and assessment, which you’ll work on as you go. This could be a short report or a presentation linked to what you’re learning in that module.

Professional field operations training

Alongside the core modules, you’ll also complete a series of professional training modules designed to prepare you for real-world work in conservation. These sessions focus on building the skills needed to plan, manage, and run conservation or community projects safely and effectively in the field.

One of the following is completed every two weeks alongside a core module:

Self-leadership and wellbeing
Project management
Ethical engagement
Measuring impact
Intercultural competence
Communication (storytelling and social media)
Team management
Participant journey
Off-site safety management
Safety management in practice
Standards, policies and procedures
Emergency First Response (EFR)

Bushwise conservation work placements

If you choose the 12-month course, you’ll spend the first six months in training, followed by a six-month work placement with a conservation or research organisation.

This second phase gives you the chance to step into a real working environment and apply the skills you’ve developed in the field. You’ll gain practical experience, build confidence, and learn what day-to-day work in conservation really looks like.

How does it work?

During your training, Bushwise head trainers and staff assess your skills, performance, and career goals to find the placement that’s the best fit. With our network of reserves and conservation partners, you can gain hands-on experience in areas like wildlife research or even animal rehabilitation.

Work placements are a great opportunity to build a strong network and take the first steps toward a fulfilling conservation career, and many of our students are offered permanent employment after excelling in their work placement.

Types of work placements

Bushwise offers a wide range of conservation placements to suit your interests and ambitions:

Wildlife research and monitoring: Collect and analyse data to support conservation strategies.
Animal rehabilitation: Work with wildlife sanctuaries to care for and release injured or orphaned animals.
Reserve management: Assist in habitat restoration, game monitoring, and sustainable land use practices.
Community-based conservation: Promote environmental education and engage with local communities to support conservation initiatives.
Ecotourism lodge management: Gain experience in sustainable tourism operations.

While the typical pathway for most of our students is 6 months of training followed by a 6-month placement, we also offer two other options:

A single 3-month placement, or
Two 3-month placements, with each placement completed at a different location depending on availability

Placement partners & locations

Your placement location will be determined by your preferences and your performance throughout the course. These placement options all offer hands-on conservation exposure, where you’ll work directly with conservationists and wildlife experts while contributing to real project work. Below are just a few examples of possible placements:

Moholohlo Rehabilitation Centre, Limpopo, South Africa

Moholoholo rescues and cares for injured, orphaned, and endangered wildlife while educating visitors about conservation. The centre focuses on rehabilitation, release where possible, and raising awareness about protecting South Africa’s unique species.

Harnas Wildlife Foundation

Harnas Wildlife Foundation is actively involved in conserving Namibian wildlife, protecting natural resources, and providing education and support to those who can benefit. Above all, their goal is to give back to every living being as much as possible.

Leo Africa

LEO Africa is a wildlife monitoring, conservation, and sustainable-living project based in the Marataba Section of Marakele National Park. As the park’s only dedicated monitoring team, they collect data through drives and camera traps each month and compile detailed reports for park management.

Siyafunda at Makalali, Limpopo, South Africa

Monitor wildlife, including threatened and endangered species like cheetah, rhino and elephant, in a Big Five game reserve in South Africa. Established in 2004 to assist the Greater Makalali Game Reserve with wildlife monitoring, Siyafunda is a research, volunteer, and wildlife monitoring organisation that hosts researchers and supports local communities.

Kekoldi Indigenous Forest, Costa Rica

Nestled in Costa Rica's Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve, this placement offers an opportunity to explore one of the country’s most biodiverse regions. Here, you’ll contribute to conservation efforts by identifying species, collecting data, and monitoring wildlife through projects ranging from bird, mammal, and reptile surveys to camera trapping elusive wild cats.

Lokobe National Park, Nosy Be, Madagascar

Based in Madagascar’s Lokobe National Park, this coastal conservation placement offers a unique opportunity to work across both land and sea ecosystems. Contribute to critical projects by monitoring coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and coastal wildlife, while supporting efforts to protect fragile habitats in partnership with local organisations.

Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Limpopo, South Africa

Moholoholo was established in 1991 to rescue, rehabilitate, and care for injured and orphaned wildlife while educating the public about conservation challenges. Through hands-on care and groundbreaking research, Moholoholo raises awareness and inspires action to protect the environment.

Canary Islands, Tenerife, Spain

Based on the island of Tenerife, this whale and dolphin conservation placement offers the chance to observe these incredible species ethically in their natural habitat. Contribute to vital research by recording marine life data, monitoring behaviours, and participating in beach cleanups, helping local organisations protect marine ecosystems and promote sustainable tourism.

Huay Pakoot Elephant Community Foundation, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Set in the mountainous jungles of Thailand's Chiang Mai province, this placement provides hands-on experience in one of the region's most dynamic ecosystems. Here, you can conduct biodiversity surveys, monitor species like elephants, gibbons, and reptiles, and contribute to vital conservation research through data collection and analysis.

Free time

With South Africa’s Lowveld landscape as your home base, you’ll be just a short drive away from incredible wildlife parks, world-renowned conservation areas and iconic destinations. Spend your free weeks exploring all South Africa has to offer – from a weekend in Kruger National Park to a week in Cape Town!

Weekend and day trips

Blyde River Canyon

The largest green canyon in the world (with lush vegetation and deep cliffs), and the third largest next to Fish River Canyon and the Grand Canyon. The Blyde River Canyon is only 30 minutes from Hoedspruit and is a destination for camping, hiking, bird watching and boat tours.

Kruger National Park

At over 2 million hectares, Kruger is a massive protected area including the iconic Big Five, wild dogs, cheetahs, endangered species, and so much more. Tourist roads span the length and width of this incredible landscape, which is just a 10 minute drive from our SAWC campus.

Panorama Route

This scenic driving route takes you along the northern Drakensberg escarpment, featuring viewpoints, waterfalls, hikes, and cultural interest points. Attractions include God’s Window, the Three Rondavels, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, and Graskop gorge.

Mariepskop Nature Reserve

A lush mountain ecosystem, with unique biodiversity including rare and endemic bird species. Mariepskop towers in the distance past Hoedspruit, and is visible from both Bushwise campuses. This reserve is excellent for hiking, bird watching and forest exploring.

Hoedspruit Town

South Africa’s safari town, Hoedspruit, is just an hour from both Bushwise campuses. Here you’ll have access to all essentials and more, including a local brewery, restaurants, shops, grocery stores and medical facilities. A great place to meet people and see local life.

Neighbouring game reserves

Limpopo and Mpumalanga are home to many of South Africa’s top public and private game reserves. You can plan a day trip to some of them, including game drives and meals, or treat yourself to a weekend away at a lodge.

Further afield

Drakensberg Mountains

This 200km long mountain range across South Africa and Lesotho is by far the region’s most impressive, with tumbling cliffs, rising peaks, crashing waterfalls and rolling valleys. Explore its hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails or go rock climbing or kloofing.

Cape Town

Head to the Mother City and visit Robben Island, Table Mountain, the District 6 Museum and Boulders Beach. A short flight from Johannesburg or Hoedspruit, it’s well worth spending some time in Cape Town during an off week or just after your course.

Durban

Located on South Africa’s east coast, Durban is a warm beach-front destination city. Surfing, diving, paddling and swimming are popular activities here. Enjoy the unique dune landscapes and coastal forests. Grab a bunny chow or ice cream cone and walk the promenade.

Johannesburg

South Africa’s biggest city, Johannesburg, is roughly a five-hour drive from campus. While many people use Joburg as a stopover city, it’s well worth a visit on its own. Absorb history and culture at the city’s many museums (like the Apartheid Museum) or on a walking tour.

Included

Your course fee covers your training, accommodation, meals, assessments and exams, access to amazing amenities, and much more.

Learning resources

All 12 Conservation Research Modules (CRMs)
Course led by a Conservation Director and experienced long-term staff
Weekly 1:1 and group mentoring sessions
Professional Field Operations Training (one module completed alongside each CRM. There are 12 modules in total, covering project management and safety.)
CRM related equipment, including camera traps, GPS units, data sheets, sampling kits, and more.

Activities

All field-based activities and game drives
Hands-on conservation activities/monitoring
Entrance fees for all course-related excursions
Assistance with booking other extracurricular activities

Living resources

Accommodation includes:
– Shared room
– Desk, cupboard and fan
– Boma and braai area
– Space to exercise
– Social area
– Free Wi-Fi
– Communal or shared en-suite bathroom
– Limited laundry services

Support services

Pre-departure support
Pre-departure WhatsApp group
Location orientation
24-hour in-country support
24-hour emergency phone
Emergency support from Bushwise on-site staff
Daily briefing
Final feedback session
Access to our alumni program

What’s not included?

The following services are not included in this program:

Flights
Medical and travel insurance
Professional drivers permit and licensing costs and transportation (21 and older)
Police clearance or background check fees
Personal workwear such as hiking shoes and jackets
International and domestic airport taxes
Additional drinks and gratuities
Recommended reference books
Transport costs to the work placement
Extra local excursions - where applicable to the course curriculum
Meals, laundry and transport during free-time weeks during the course
Accommodation, electricity, internet and meals during off time and the work placement portion of the program.

Welcome to your wild home

Karongwe Research Station

Your home at Karongwe is a large, renovated farmhouse that you’ll share with our staff and other participants from all over the world.

The research station is solar-powered to keep our footprint light. Accommodation is in dorm-style rooms with shared bathrooms. You’ll have full access to everything at Karongwe, including the data and research rooms and an education room packed with textbooks, scientific papers, and preserved bones. If you need to focus on your assignments, there’s a dedicated intern corner with desk space and charging stations.

When you want to relax, the social and work spaces are all close together, making it easy to connect with the team. You can relax in a hammock or swing chair, or catch a documentary on the projector. There’s also a volleyball court, weights, and yoga mats for those who want to be active!

Research station gallery

Research station details

Accommodation

Lodgings consist of large dorm-style rooms with shared bathrooms. The research station is solar-powered to help reduce our environmental footprint.

Facilities

When it’s time to relax, you’ll find hammocks, a swing chair and a projector for watching movies and documentaries. If you want to stay active, the research station has a volleyball court, footballs, skipping ropes, weights and yoga mats. There are also plenty of card games, board games and books to enjoy.

Meals

Breakfast is self-service, continental style with bread and spreads, and lunch usually consists of sandwiches and fresh salads. In the evenings, the group gathers for a hot dinner, which ranges from traditional South African potjie stews to pastas and stir-fries, and pizza.

Communication

WiFi is available on base, so you can keep in touch with family and friends, or use it for research and study. Some areas also have limited cellphone reception.

Transportation

You can drive yourself to the base or use a transfer service (limited parking is available). For group activities that involve travel, we organise transportation.

Safety and security

The research station is contained within electrified game fences for your safety. Staff are on hand 24/7, with access to emergency services nearby.

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